The Disillusioned
by Altarir
Summary: First attempt at a story. A one-shot describing a Space Marine's declining faith in what he serves. Did my absolute best to ensure there are no spelling errors.


Another battle, another enemy, another fight. How long has this been? Years? Decades? He couldn't remember. For all this time he tried not to think about it too deeply. It was just an endless stream of enemies, objectives etc. He fought for the Empire of Man. For the Emperor. For humanity. Isn't it strange that doubts started to occur now? In the middle of a fight with one of those deranged lunatics that worship Chaos? If it was at least some Tzeench follower he was fighting, it would be easy to understand. The doubt that grows now in his mind would be a weapon of such an enemy and therefore easily countered. But he was fighting a Noise Marine of the Emperor's Children legion. Or rather what was left of it, as those particular traitors divided themselves into multiple warbands to seek pleasures and sensations. In this case the traitor was after the sound of battle. Puzzling, isn't it? You'd think every battle sounds the same? And such a sensation-obsessed creature would be quickly bored with it. Apparently no. Each battle must seem to this madman like a new song from his favourite composer. How odd, that something as noble as the pleasure of listening to music can be twisted to something so sinister. Yet wasn't everything twisted? Not only Chaos, but the Imperium too?

The Noise Marine was indeed a frightening sight. His face was shaped by the influence of Chaos into an expression of a constant scream. Of joy or anger? Probably both, thought Brother Petros as he avoided another sonic blast form the traitor's guitar-shaped weapon. If he could only get close, he could smash that damned weapon (instrument?) over the madman's head and end this fight. And probably go straight into another. Does this make any sense? Humanity fought Chaos for so long and yet it always came back. And why wouldn't it? It was a reflection of humanity's emotions. It would exist as long as humanity itself. Wasn't fighting Chaos a bit like fighting against part of your own nature?

The sonic blasts became more deafening the closer he got to his enemy. Throne, if he went deaf now this battle might become easier. Or maybe not. He wouldn't hear them, and probably wouldn't be able to avoid them. Doubts, doubts, doubts. Hard to be sure about anything. It wasn't always like that. At the beginning of his "career" he was sure of one thing – he defended humanity against its enemies. Plain and simple. But then came Kronus. A misunderstanding between commanders resulted in fighting between two Imperial factions: the Blood Ravens (including himself) and the Imperial Guard. Poor Guardsmen never stood a chance against genetically engineered super-humans. This was supposed to be fair? The duty of defending humanity was to destroy other humans? Because what? Both factions had the same enemies (Eldar, Orks, Chaos, tau and the Necrons), both were supposed to serve the Imperium. And yet they fought one another. Just because both commanders were stubborn.

Another jump for cover between the blasts, only a few more meters now. The traitor was so occupied by making his damned noise, that he didn't notice how close Petros got to him. Good, the element of surprise was an advantage worth having. The Chaos Marine will be as surprised as Petros was, when he heard about the Kaurava campaign. He didn't take part in it. He was fighting in another sector. But it stunned him all the same. After Kronus, where two Imperial factions fought against each other, now there were three. Blood Ravens, Imperial Guard and the Inquisition. Madness. Is it worth to serve an Empire that fights itself? Chaos fights itself too. There's that Malal entity he heard about… Doesn't that make the Imperium as chaotic as Chaos itself? All it's commanders, lords etc. struggling for individual glory and power rather than the benefit of humanity. Like Chaos champions seeking to impress the gods they worship and get more power for themselves.

The Noise Marine turned around to play his destructive "song" to another direction. Now the audience would be the rest of Petros' squad. A squad he lead for so long. They were loyal to him. Considered him a good commander. He always was extremely careful not to lose any of the men under his command. Yet for most of the time that was nearly impossible. Still he did his best to minimize the losses, despising the heroic sacrifices so favoured by many other Imperial commanders. He knew his squad shared his doubts. But until he held to the Imperium, they would too. He was the one keeping them in check, yet what kept him in check? The promises of horrible punishment by the Inquisition? By the very same Inquisition that is arrogant enough to destroy entire populations for a suspected threat? In the name of what? A corpse of something not even human that called itself the Emperor of Humanity? And would destroy any humans that didn't agree with such a view?

All those thoughts rushed through his head as he advanced on the unsuspecting Noise Marine. Petros raised his chainsword and brought it down with all his fury upon the back of the traitor. The blow split the armour and also the strap which held the guitar-shaped blaster. Petros tore the weapon from its stunned owners hands and smashed the thing over the Noise Marine's head. Just as he planned earlier. The instrument fell apart with a loud crack. The final noise It would ever make. The traitor fell to the ground as Petros pierced him with a thrust of his chainsword. This would be the end of his "musical" career. He looked into the eyes of the madman. There was no fear in them, only… curiosity? The traitor then asked with a rasping, distorted voice:

-Who… do you think… you are, loyalist scum?

Loyalist? Was he still loyal to an Empire that is built upon the blood and toil of untold billions? That considers its citizens to be no more than fuel for endless wars? An Empire built upon the tired backs of people that aren't allowed to think, to seek their own paths, to command their own lives? And what was the alternative? Servitude to disgusting daemons and "gods", becoming an abomination like the one he just defeated? The path of Chaos is a path of ruin, nothing more. As evidenced by that fool Kyras. How can the Blood Ravens claim to fight Chaos if their own leaders become its' followers? It was all an illusion. Both Chaos and the Imperium. There is only war. And he refused to commit himself further to any of the fighting factions. They would serve no illusion. His squad would follow him, he was sure of that. They would be united under a new name. And so he answered the Noise marine:

-We are.. The Disillusioned!

He and his squad entered the path of the Renegade.


End file.
